Our hearts go out to the people, including friends, in Iowa this week. We lived in Iowa City for seven years, and still consider it home. Seeing the pictures, reading the stories, it has been wrenching. While nobody we know has been displaced, everyone we know has been affected. We wish them the best of good fortune and goodwill in the coming recovery.
Below is a picture of the Danforth Chapel, on the University of Iowa campus, where we got married. Hundred of volunteers worked tirelessly to keep it (and surrounding buildings) in as good a shape as it is in. Thank you.
Things are returning to normal here in Iowa City. Today it was announced that a big sink hole has developed and has closed the Iowa Avenue bridge. Cedar Rapids is really a mess. Something like 4000 homes flooded, thousand to be torn down. What is really eerie is driving down the Coralville Strip at night. It’s all dark as all the favorite spots (Mondos, The Vine) are gone. No lights from Mondos to the intersection with River Street. The mall is still open. We went to Red Lobster and Carlos Okellies with house guests this last few days. Anyway, the university is madly trying to reopen Mayflower by the fall. The Arts and Music campus are gone for a couple of semesters (at least until Spring. Lindquist has water in the tunnels and had to have wiring replaced. The Main Library just opened. What is a killer is the Union is closed. The Union is like the hub for summer activities and orientation. We were luck the town wasn't split in half with the bridges being out. Cedar Rapids is a huge mess.
Well, it is still a big problem for the university of iowa, post flood. The Union bookstore moved to the Old Capital Mall. A friend, a clerk at the union bookstore said they had two hours to move the bookstore out to trucks before it was flooded.
Well,now our president (Sally Mason) is in deep do over football players assulting coeds. Heads may roll. I like our football coach but if he can't control these kids someone else needs to step in.